The medical authority has objected to certain improvements on the ground of expense, but, as Colonel Stoneman says, what will England care about a few thousands at such a crisis in her history?
Or what would she say if we allowed her sick and wounded to die in discomfort for the want of a little money?
By to-morrow all the sick will have beds and even sheets, food will be distributed on a better organised plan, and civilians will be raised from a two-months' slough of feeding, sleeping, grumbling, and general swinishness unredeemed even by shells.
[Illustration: EFFECT OF A 96LB.

SHELL ON A PRIVATE HOUSE] At night the British flashlight from Colenso was throwing signals upon the cloudy sky, and it was amusing to watch the Boers trying to confuse the signals by flashing their two searchlights upon the same cloud.

They have one light west of us near Bester's Station, and to-night they showed a very brilliant electric light on the top of Bulwan.

When our signalling stopped, they turned it on the town, and very courteously lighted me home.

It was like the clearest moonlight, the shadows long and black, but all else distinct in colourless brilliance.